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Germany, 2008, 82 Minute Running Time North American Premiere Genre/Subjects: Drama, Family Issues, Foreign, Romance Program: Contemporary World CinemaLanguage: German English Subtitles
DIRECTOR: Matthias Luthardt Producer: Christian Drewing, Milena MaitzEditor: Florian MiosgeScreenwriter: Johanna StuttmannCinematographer: Christian MarohlPrincipal Cast: Franziska Petri, Pasquale Aleardi, Harry Blank, Sandra Borgmann
Helene is the loving mother of two small children who has supposedly lost her husband, Robert, in a swimming accident, though his body has never been found. Despite the efforts of friends to help her transition past the loss, Helene remains steadfastly convinced that Robert is still alive. One evening at a classical music concert, she sees a man who bears a striking resemblance to her missing spouse. She is sure that it is actually him, that he has pulled off a gigantic ruse, and that the woman he’s with is a girlfriend he left her for. In a burst of passion, she leaps at him, first in joy, then in fury. Her attack is met with bewilderment, as the man insists he isn’t who she thinks he is. But neither of them can ignore the inherent drama of the situation or deny their attraction to each other. As they become involved, Helene appears to waver on the edge of sanity. She tries to find her Robert in a man who presents himself as a stranger, while he tries to talk her through this apparent mystery. She may have lost her mind – or he may be a monster. Their story may be about the ways in which we cope with terrible betrayal – or the ways in which we negotiate extraordinary grief. As atmospheric and disconcerting as its discordant contemporary music soundtrack, this intelligent and quietly compelling thriller locates suspense in questions of absolute and relational identity. German director Matthias Luthardt’s first feature, Pingpong, won two awards at the Cannes Film Festival in 2006, including the Young Critics Award for Best Feature.